"Ha ha, even if I don't mention it myself, other fellow cultivators will surely bring up this matter at some point. And in the future, perhaps I'll need your help with some small matters too!" Wan Gu Bone smiled warmly. "Master is too kind. Should there ever be anything I can assist with, Wan Gu Master need only speak, and I'll be happy to help." Whether true or not, Han Li smiled and readily agreed. At that moment, suddenly, a ripple of spatial disturbance surged nearby, and a graceful figure materialized from behind the old sage, her melodious laughter echoing with unparalleled charm: "How do you think, Wan Gu Brother, that this person might be won over? Don't waste all your efforts—we might end up doing nothing at all!" The woman wore a light white silk robe, her face as vibrant and blossoming as a flower. Her attire and appearance were exactly the same as those of the favored consort previously held in the old sage's arms, and even her features bore a striking resemblance. Yet this subtle difference immediately transformed her into a completely distinct being from that consort. Her eyes sparkled with an intoxicating springtime grace, and every movement exuded an irresistible allure that made men swoon—something the consort could never match. But one thing is certain—without investing more effort to win him over, it will certainly not work. Moreover, this individual possesses immense potential; who knows, after several hundred years, he might even advance one more time. Securing him alone would be far more effective than securing several other less reliable elder foxes. "Advancing to mid-Body Integration? You're quite overestimating Brother Han. Even if he achieves such a rapid transition into early Body Integration, the challenges of each subsequent stage are far greater than those encountered earlier. Otherwise, after tens of thousands of years of striving to reach Body Integration, how could we still remain stuck at the peak of early stage, unable to make any further progress in our cultivation? And it's not just us—most other Body Integration-level beings from both human and spirit-creature lineages face the same stagnation. Only a minority manage to reach mid-stage. Those in the later stages are even rarer. Even with exceptional talent, this young man will likely have to wait several thousand years before he has a genuine chance to break through the early stage." Otherwise, during the time of the Demon Cataclysm, if he truly advances to the mid-stage and is willing to shelter me, even then I would be delighted to pledge myself entirely. The beautiful woman sighed and murmured softly. Upon hearing the words "Demon Cataclysm," White Bone True Person's face slightly tightened, and a trace of apprehension flickered in his eyes. Yet, being no ordinary person, he quickly regained his composure within a moment, and spoke coldly: "During the last Demon Cataclysm, you and I both personally experienced it—how terrifying the ancient Demon Clan truly is, need not be repeated. Even the combined-stage independent practitioners from the Human and Spirit races, who had been stationed in the southern region, suffered massive losses, with only four or five managing to survive. In contrast, the combined-stage practitioners within the larger power houses fared significantly better. The reason, naturally, lies in our independent practitioners fighting one another separately, ultimately being one by one surrounded and eliminated by the high-ranking ancient Demons." So, before the magical calamity breaks out, we must make every effort to attract other independent cultivators at the Consolidated Stage. Once we gather together, our chances of survival will surely improve significantly. Though your argument makes sense, I still believe it won't be effective to expend so much effort in wooing these independent cultivators. Why not simply dissolve Bai Guo Door and join the hands of the Third Sovereigns directly? Then I’ll find a way to integrate myself into one of the Great Beast Kings’ fold—after all, there’s always comfort under the shade of a great tree. The woman’s gaze flickered, then she shook her head with a slight sigh. She turned out to be a member of the Beast Clan! "Hmph. Don’t dream of such grand arrangements. We’ve always been free-spirited and laid-back—how could we possibly submit to others and be constrained by them? Otherwise, you wouldn’t have rebelled from the Tian Xu Clan, and I wouldn’t have declined the invitation from the previous Third Sovereigns, and remained independent all this time. Besides, we haven’t contributed anything of significance to these major powers in the past. Now, suddenly, we’re expected to join them— But those who come later will surely be treated as expendable. Should any real danger arise, it will always be our newly joined companions who step forward first. In that case, I would rather remain a lone figure, free to move and act as I please. Moreover, even the powerful forces like the Three Yellow Seven Demigods, who hold their territories firmly, are not guaranteed safety. During the last magical calamity, three Demigod Kings and one Human Emperor perished. What we are doing now is preparing in advance—each time we secure a fellow fully evolved Daoist friend, our chances of survival during the calamity increase. After all, I would rather trust myself than entrust my life to others." The old monk replied in a grave tone. "If we truly have to operate this way, then this Great Gathering of Treasures will be the perfect opportunity to reach out to other scattered cultivators. Otherwise, aside from a few exceptions, it has been difficult to find others. The human cultivators will be entrusted to the True Master. As for the demonic cultivators, I will personally go and persuade them. I believe these independent practitioners, even if some of them have heard fragments of the magic calamity news, would never understand it as thoroughly as we do—especially not the certainty that it will erupt within a thousand years. By the way, before coming here, I already discussed this matter with that black wolf; he seems quite interested. Still, to truly convince him, we’ll need to elaborate further." The young woman appeared convinced once more by the old monk, paused thoughtfully, then nodded. "That’s excellent. Master Tiankun, the black wolf, once contested the title of Supreme Beast King against Master Tiankui, the wolf king, and only lost after a fierce battle lasting all day and night. His divine capabilities are far beyond those of ordinary independent practitioners. As for the human side, I’m not certain about others, but I have a good relationship with Elder Tianyin of Tianyin Mountain, who is also attending the Universal Treasures Convention this time. With him, I believe we can certainly secure his support." Hearing this, the True Bone Master expressed great delight. "If we can successfully persuade both of these two to join us, even if we cannot secure the others, we shall be able to hold our own during the magical calam The woman smiled gently, her grace and charm radiating with an intensity that seemed to have surged tenfold in an instant. Even Master Wan Gu, a seasoned practitioner of Yin-nourishing and Yang-supplementing techniques, found himself momentarily stunned by her presence. "Now, Master Wan, do you perhaps still wish to try your dual-renewal practice upon me? If so, I shall be most delighted to experience your methods!" Upon seeing Master Wan's expression, the woman's smile grew even more alluring—so tender and delicate that it seemed as though, with but a single word from him, her supple, yielding body could be entirely at his disposal. Yet, as soon as the master heard her enticing words, he shivered, startled, and quickly waved his hands in a gesture of embarrassed laughter. "How could I possibly believe that! You are a celestial fox in essence—how could I possibly touch you? I'm no longer young, and I certainly don't intend to live much longer!" "That's truly a pity. I have genuinely longed to share some insights with you on the art of dual-renewal. Alas, you have the heart, but not the courage." The female immortal woman chuckled softly, her allure becoming even more enchanting. The old monk murmured his monastic name, unable to meet her gaze any longer, quickly shifting his eyes and changing the subject: "To be honest, the Flower Immortal's Wondrous and Subtle Artistry has truly reached its peak. Even when she appeared as a serving concubine—someone who knows her secrets, I myself could not detect the slightest irregularity. I'm certain that my friend Han must have found nothing out of the ordinary either. Indeed, the Tianhu family's talent in concealment and transformation is truly exceptional among the various immortal clans, ranking among the top three." "It's no surprise that Wan Gu's Dao Brother didn't notice, since when I pretended to be your favored consort earlier, the subtle fluctuation in his spiritual awareness was entirely directed toward me. Had I not already employed a secret sensing technique and been fully focused on him, I would have missed it as well. This Han Brother's spiritual strength is truly unparalleled in my entire experience—compared to the Three Emperors and Seven Kings, I suspect he may even surpass them." The woman paused before speaking seriously. "Indeed, such a thing is possible!" Wan Gu's True Form naturally drew in a deep breath, his face shifting between pale and flushed. "Nevertheless, Brother Wan, please don't worry. It's quite understandable that someone so young has already achieved the Consolidated Body stage—this speaks volumes about his exceptional talent. Moreover, although he noticed my face was an illusion, my true spiritual energy and magical power have already been completely sealed using a secret technique of our Tian Xu clan, within a short period of time." Even if he had attained the realm of boundless cultivation, he would never have been able to perceive me as a Consolidated Stage cultivator. Moreover, I have never made any hasty or impetuous moves, so he should have noticed our mutual cordiality and lack of any ill will. Otherwise, he wouldn't have continued chatting with the Wàn Gǔ Daoist for so long before finally departing. The Lady's point is well taken. If necessary, I can simply come up with a plausible excuse when he actually asks about me at our next meeting. In fact, even if this person were to learn of my true identity, what then? Does the Lady truly wish to be seen as someone who is shy or reluctant to be recognized? The lady exclaimed with a sharp, graceful tone. Upon hearing this, the Wàn Gǔ True Person's facial muscles twitched slightly, and he could only offer a helpless, wry smile.